The relationship between clinical impairment and blood drug concentration: Comparison between the most prevalent traffic relevant drug groups.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between blood concentrations of four different drug classes; ethanol, benzodiazepines, amphetamines and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and driver impairment as assessed by a clinical test of impairment (CTI).

Methods: Data was retrieved from a national database on CTI assessments and accompanying blood drug concentrations from apprehended drivers. All drug concentrations in blood were quantified using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and compared to the results of the CTI which were categorized as either "not impaired", "mildly impaired", "moderately impaired", or "considerably impaired".

A comparison of driving related skills impaired by ethanol and zopiclone.

Ethanol and zopiclone are both sedating drugs that impair traffic relevant skills, but that show vast differences in epidemiological traffic risk. One explanation for this could be that they impair various kinds of skills differently, but this is less previously studied. The aim of this study was to compare effects of zopiclone and ethanol on a large battery of computerized psychomotor and cognitive tests according to different test classifications.

The Appearance, Taste, and Concentrations of Zolpidem Dissolved in Still Water and Carbonated Beverages.

Zolpidem is a sedative that could be used to drug victims, but its suitability to dissolve in drinks is unknown. In this small study, we added either crushed or whole tablets of zolpidem hemitartrate to carbonated beverages or still water to observe how this affected the taste and appearance. Also, concentrations were measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at different time intervals.

Zopiclone concentrations in oral fluid and blood after, administration of therapeutic doses of zopiclone.

Purpose: Little is known about the relationship between concentrations in oral fluid (OF) and blood for the widely prescribed hypnotic drug zopiclone. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of OF zopiclone concentrations to predict blood zopiclone concentrations in order to introduce OF testing as an alternative to more cumbersome blood testing.

Methods: 16 healthy young male volunteers received capsules of either 5 or 10mg zopiclone on two different study days separated by at least one week.

Probable topiramate-induced diarrhea in a 2-month-old breast-fed child - A case report.

An infant developed a severe condition of recurrent and persistent watery diarrhea at 40 days of age. The child had been partially breast-fed, and the mother used topiramate for epilepsy. Hospital examination excluded a viral or bacterial infection and failed to identify any other potential cause.

Can a simple clinical test detect impairment of zopiclone and alcohol? - A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The risk of traffic accident involvement is increased among patients prescribed the z-hypnotic drug zopiclone. Clinical test observations able to indicate drug impairment are therefore essential. This study compared the findings of a simplified clinical test of impairment (SCTI) with those of a battery of computerized psychomotor tests of impairment (CPTI).

Individual psychomotor impairment in relation to zopiclone and ethanol concentrations in blood--a randomized controlled double-blinded trial.

Aims: To investigate individual traffic-relevant impairment related to measured blood zopiclone and ethanol concentrations. Also, we aimed to study possible development of acute tolerance.

Design: A randomized controlled four-way cross-over double-blind trial.

Psychomotor performance after intake of zopiclone compared with intake of ethanol: a randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial.

The sleep medicine zopiclone (eszopiclone) is commonly used in most Western countries. The focus on legislation for possible traffic-impairing nonalcohol drugs have caused a need for comparing traffic relevant behavior after intake of commonly used psychoactive drugs to blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). We aimed to compare psychomotor effects at 3 levels of behavior at different blood zopiclone concentrations to effects seen at different BACs.

Comparison of zopiclone concentrations in oral fluid sampled with Intercept(®) oral specimen collection device and Statsure Saliva Sampler™ and concentrations in blood.

A clinical study of zopiclone was performed using doses of 5 and 10 mg. Samples of oral fluid were collected using the Statsure and Intercept devices, and blood samples were collected simultaneously. Concentrations of zopiclone in samples of oral fluid and blood were determined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and concentrations in undiluted oral fluid were calculated.

[Phencyclidine--angel dust].

Background: For the first time in ten years, phencyclidine (PCP) has been confiscated in Norway. Physicians should be aware of this substance when treating intoxications.

Methods: Relevant literature was identified by search in Medline.